


The Visitor

by Riafya



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Fluff and Crack, Gambling, Logan is not amused, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-04-07 12:19:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4263042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riafya/pseuds/Riafya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rouge also saw the head of the Professor, and Magneto who stood right next to him holding a knife in his hand. Everything was absolutely normal and…</p><p>Wait, Magneto?!</p><p>Rouge fought against the scream that wanted to leave her mouth and took a step back.</p><p>That was impossible. Magneto could not be here. The school was safe. Maybe it was a sort of test to see how they would react. Or he somehow managed to get into the school to kill his greatest enemy: the Professor.</p><p>But Mr. Xavier seemed too relaxed to be threatened. He was sighing, in fact, and circled the counter to get a better look at them. “Erik,” he said patiently, “is currently preparing dinner. You are welcome to join us if you like.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Visitor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Spielzeugkaiser](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spielzeugkaiser/gifts).



> This is a late birthday present for Spielzeugkaiser who wanted to read a bittersweet, fluff crack fanfic about Erik and Charles regularly meeting each other, and everyone else thinking that they totally lost it now.  
> I don’t know if this is really crack but I tried. So, happy belated birthday! I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> It’s also my first fanfiction in English and it's unbetaed, so if you find any huge mistakes, feel free to correct me!

Rouge still did not know what to think about life in _Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters_.  
It was a great place for mutants and she really liked the teachers (and certain pupils), but there was so much more to this place that made her wonder. First of all, the school was not just a school but the secret headquarter of the X-Men. That was a group of powerful mutants led by Professor X himself who protected mutants and humans alike.

They also fought against Magneto and the brotherhood. Magneto was a very powerful and even more dangerous mutant and absolutely crazy. He hated humans and wanted nothing more than their destruction. To reach this aim, he would stoop to anything. While Rouge agreed that their kind should be protected, Magneto’s methods were simply ruthless. That is why the best students sometimes went on top secret missions to stop his plans and save the day.

Rouge herself had participated in two until now. It was always exciting but also dangerous, and she was glad that tonight was going to be a peaceful night. Or at least that was what she thought.

She was just sitting on her bed minding her own business when suddenly a head came through the wall in front of her and she was met with Kitty Pryde’s smiling face. “Hey, Rouge, what are you doing?”

Rouge sighed.

Kitty was another reason that made her doubt her decision to stay here. It was not even the girl’s fault. She was really nice and she always tried to engage her in a conversation. In another world, they could have been friends. In this world, they both fancied the same boy making them natural enemies. The problem was that Kitty would be so much better for Bobby. She was beautiful, she was always cheerful and she would not kill him when she tried to touch him.

Rouge hated her.

“I’m busy,” she thus replied hoping that she would take the hint.

“Oh.” Kitty actually sounded disappointed. “That’s too bad because I wanted to tell you something.”

“And whatever would that be?”

“Logan’s back.”

Rouge looked up sharply, not believing what she was hearing. But Kitty seemed serious enough.

“He’s back?” she repeated. “When did he return?”

“Just now.” Kitty was still smiling. “He’s downstairs saying hi to the professor. I thought you’d want to know.”

Instantly, she felt terrible for thinking such bad thoughts about her.

“Thank you, Kitty.”

“You’re welcome. Now go. I’m sure he will be happy to see you!”

~~~~~

She found Logan standing at the kitchen entrance. He looked the same as ever, strong, wild, rough and somehow dangerous, but everyone in the school knew that he would protect each and every one of them if it should ever be necessary.

Rouge was so happy to see him that she did not see that he had his claws out until she was only a few steps behind him.

She froze.

It was not that unusual for Logan to have his claws out. Maybe he wanted to impress Miss Grey. Maybe he got into another fight with Cyclops. Or maybe he just wanted to cut a salami. All these things could be possible, were it not for his words, “What is _he_ doing here!?”

Rouge stood up on her tiptoes to take a peek over his shoulder. The kitchen looked the same as ever. Maybe a little messier than usual but that was only to be expected around dinner. There were chairs, the table, the counter and the dirty dishes that someone had left behind. She also saw the head of the Professor, and Magneto who stood right next to him holding a knife in his hand. Everything was absolutely normal and…

Wait, Magneto?!

Rouge fought against the scream that wanted to leave her mouth and took a step back.

That was impossible. Magneto could not be here. The school was safe. Maybe it was a sort of test to see how they would react. Or he somehow managed to get into the school to kill his greatest enemy: the Professor.

But Mr. Xavier seemed too relaxed to be threatened. He was sighing, in fact, and circled the counter to get a better look at them. “Erik,” he said patiently, “is currently preparing dinner. You are welcome to join us if you like.”

“Dinner,” Logan repeated slowly before turning into Magneto’s direction. “Right, what have you done to him, you fucking bastard?!”

“It seems as if I hold him captive in his own house,” the man answered dryly, and he began to cut some vegetables seemingly unworried about their presence. “The most powerful living telepath who has no means to defend himself.”

Logan took a step into his direction and seemed ready for a fight. “You…”

“Enough, both of you!” The Professor shoved his wheelchair between them. “Logan, Erik is my guest and is to be treated as such. And Erik, stop provoking the members of my household.”

And Magneto, their enemy, the terrorist and nightmare of all humankind merely sighed and said: “Whatever you want, Charles.”

Rouge was sure that Logan had to be gaping. She most definitely was.

That was the moment when Miss Grey entered the house and smiled at Rouge before her gaze fell on the man who was still blocking the kitchen entrance.

“Logan!” she exclaimed happily and started to approach them. “You’re back. We weren’t expecting you so soon.”

As soon as he heard her, Logan tensed up and called, “Jean, stay where you are!”

Miss Grey looked questionably at Rouge who just shook her head.

Something strange was going on here. Something very strange.

The woman looked back at Logan and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Ignoring Logan’s protest she came closer until she was standing right next to him and could also look into the kitchen. “Oh, I see.”

“Don’t go in there,” Logan growled without taking his eyes from Magneto. “He did something to the Professor!”

Mr. Xavier sighed again. “I assure you everything is perfectly fine. Erik didn’t do anything to me. He really is just visiting me.”

Logan looked at Jean as if saying “See? I told you so.”

She, however, barely seemed to keep herself from laughing. “I told the Professor that he should warn you beforehand.”

“Warn me? Warn me of what?!”

“Of this. Newcomer seldom take it well.”

She then entered the kitchen and smiled warmly at Magneto. “It’s wonderful to have you back, Sir. What’s for dinner?”

“Your favourite, my dear. Would you care to join me?”

“If you need a hand? Of course!”

Rouge watched with a twisted kind of fascination how Miss Grey made herself comfortable next to the man and began to cut some tomatoes without even touching her knife.

Logan, too, watched them for some seconds before he turned to Rouge. “Am I the only one who thinks that this is crazy?”

She was too speechless to answer.

~~~~~

“They have always been close,” Beast said without turning his eyes from his microscope.

They were all standing in his laboratory, Logan and Cyclops at the window, Rouge and Kitty at the tables.

Outside, Magneto and the Professor were having a walk through the garden, Magneto levitating the wheelchair beside him while Mr. Xavier was talking to him excitedly.

It had taken some effort to convince Logan to stay in the house but after a long, intense conversation with Magneto’s powers he decided to stay away from them. That did not stop him from watching the old men with eagle-eyes however.

The strangest thing was how relaxed everyone reacted when they heard about their visitor. Miss Grey was actually happy to see him, Miss Munroe just laughed, Kitty simply shrugged and Beast did not even pause in whatever he was doing. As if it was the most normal thing in the world. Logan was right, everyone had gone crazy. Only Cyclops seemed to be as unhappy as them even though he kept silent.

Beast on the other hand seemed to realize that some explaining was due.  
“When I first met them they were almost inseparable. They spent every free minute with one another, and when you were in the same room with them, you always felt expendable.”

“I know,” Kitty whispered as she saw Rouge’s unbelieving expression. “I also think that this sounds like a lot more than friendship.”

“But he is Magneto!” she said. “They are enemies!”

“It would explain why the Professor never married, don’t you think?”

“Stop it,” Cyclops scolded them. “We really shouldn’t talk about him like that.”

“Sorry,” they said in unison.

“Whatever they might be for each other, they surely are something,” Beast commented. “I’m not even sure if they understand their relationship themselves.”

“But they are fighting against each other.” Rouge still did not get it. “We are fighting him because he is crazy and evil and he is dangerous. How can you all just stand aside and say nothing?”

“Because Charles needs Erik,” Beast answered. “There was a time when they were not speaking. During that time Charles was… he wasn’t himself. You would have never recognized him. But the moment Erik was back in the picture, he got better. More like himself. And since then they meet regularly.” He gazed up at Rouge for a moment and said in a serious tone, “Believe me, we should be grateful that they do.”

“You got to be kidding me,” Logan murmured.

“It is crazy,” Cyclops surprisingly agreed. “But it has always been like that and as long as he’s here, he doesn’t hurt anyone. Neither inside nor outside the school. So maybe it’s for the best.”

Logan groaned. “Not you, too!”

“You will get used to it,” Cyclops assured him.

It was obvious that Logan did not believe him. Rouge could relate.

~~~~~

They never knew when Magneto would return. Sometimes he would not show up or weeks and then he was suddenly simply there. Cooking. Playing chess with the Professor. Reading a book in the library. Practicing telekinesis with Miss Grey or reflecting some lightning that Storm had thrown at him. It was strange but somehow you really got used to it.

One day, Rouge walked through the garden. It was a warm, beautiful day. She was watching a group of butterflies when she heard voices coming from the sport field. Curious, she went there and was surprised to see Magneto playing basketball with the boys.

She froze, not knowing what was more unreal, Magneto playing basketball or the boys accepting him among them as a player. And he was good! You could have never told his age from the way he moved, fast, graceful, determined. Or his character from the way he laughed with Bobby. It was…

“Shocking, isn’t it?”

Startled she turned around and looked at the Professor who was watching the players with a peaceful expression. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget that they are one and the same person.”

“Do you forget?” Rouge asked. “Sometimes?”

“I did once,” he admitted. “Did Beast tell you about my sister?”

Rouge blinked. “You have a sister?”

“Her name was Raven.” Rouge took note of his use of the past tense and the way his voice changed when he said her name. “I loved her very much. She was one of us. Her mutation was visible and very beautiful, but the other humans didn’t understand it and so I told her to hide herself so that she wouldn’t be hurt. Unfortunately, she came to the conclusion that I didn’t accept her true self either. So when we met Erik, she was immediately charmed by his acceptance and his admiration of her mutation.”

“What happened to her?” Rouge asked silently.

Mr. Xavier smiled a sad smile. “She left with Erik and I blamed him for it. Soon I blamed him for everything and made myself forget that he could also be like this.” He gestured in the direction of the boys who were just finishing their game. As she followed his gaze she saw Magneto watching them while he was talking to Bobby.

“I don’t understand what he is doing here,” she admitted. “Why do we fight him when he is coming here the next day and acting as if he belongs to us? Why is he always coming back anyway?”

“Erik has his faults,” he explained patiently. “And we have many contradicting world views. I will never agree with his violent approach and he will never be patient enough to accept my more passive methods. But we are friends and Westchester will always be his home. I believe that he also enjoys to be away from his brotherhood.” He smiled at her. “I understand that it is hard to adjust to that, especially if you don’t know him. But even if you don’t trust Erik, trust in me. I would never have him here if he was a danger to any of us.”

“I know, Professor. I’m sorry. It’s just…”

“Crazy,” he agreed. “But you will soon find out that the crazy things are often the ones that make our lives worth living.”

Rouge nodded slowly even though she couldn’t quite shake the bad feeling when she looked at Magneto.

“Did she die?” she suddenly asked. “Your sister?”

“Oh no,” he said, laughing. “She is quite alive and one of Erik’s most committed followers. You surely know her. She goes by the name Mystique now.”

Once again Rouge could do nothing but stare.

~~~~~

It was some days later that she was not able to sleep.

It had been a very draining day. Bobby and Kitty had been hanging out with one another all afternoon, and at dinner she had accidently touched a girl who was still staying in the infirmary to recover. Now everyone was afraid of her again, thus avoiding her. What did it mean that she was not even able to find her place here, in the only sanctuary for people like her? Maybe they would be all better off if she would just move on.

With these dark thoughts in her mind she wandered through the mansion until she suddenly heard some voices coming out from one of the community rooms. Because she did not have anything better to do and was admittedly curious, she went there and peaked through the open door.

Magneto was back. He was sitting at one of the tables and was playing poker with Storm, Cyclops, Dr McCoy and Logan of all people. They were being watched by the Professor and Miss Grey who clearly enjoyed themselves immensely.

“I’m out,” Cyclops was saying when Rouge carefully entered the room.

“Very well,” Magneto answered. “What about you, Beast?”

“You don’t get rid of me that easily, Erik,” he answered moving some chips to the middle of the table. “I’m in.”

“Me too,” Storm said doing the same. “I’m going to make you lose the last of your money,” Logan promised and shoved his own chips forward.

Magneto smiled. “We will see.”

“Good evening, Rouge,” Miss Grey greeted her as she saw her.

The heads of the players turned to face her. Storm looked worried, Logan frowned and Magneto had a clear air of indifference around him. Only the two telepaths were smiling warmly at here making her feel as if she was actually welcome here.

“Do you play poker?” Miss Grey continued when no one said anything. “These guys really are in need of some competition after they excluded us from their game.”

“You were using your telepathy. Both of you. It’s no fun to play with someone who already knows the cards of everyone beforehand,” Storm said.

“As I said they are in need of some competition.”

The players all scoffed, and Rouge smiled weakly. “I’m sorry, I don’t know the rules.”

She also doubted that the teachers of her old school would have approved of a student gambling. Was it not even illegal? But that was the great difference, was it not? They had much more freedom here than anywhere else.

“Do you want to learn?” Storm asked kindly.

Rouge looked at Logan before nodding. “Why not.” She would not be able to sleep anyway.

They made some room for her so that she could sit between Logan and Storm. Then she learned how to play poker. After a while she forgot that they were sitting there with their enemy. They were just some people who were gambling (but without real money, Storm assured her). Everyone was relaxed, talking, smiling. Storm, Miss Grey and Cyclops joking around. Beast making a smart comment. And the Professor hiding his smile behind his glass of whatever he was drinking, his contentment radiating from him in waves.

It almost felt like home, and Rouge realized that it _was_ home for these people, even for Magneto. Maybe one day it could be a home for her, too.

About two hours later, Logan threw his cards away in frustration all but glaring at Magneto who was sitting in his chair with a very smug expression on his face. “Fine. You won this time. But next time I’ll get a rematch and then I will win.”

“Whatever keeps you breathing, Wolverine.”

Logan kept glaring before he turned to Rouge. “Come on, kid. Bedtime.”

She nodded and told the others goodnight. Then she followed him out of the room.

“You okay?” Logan asked as they were climbing the stairs.

Pausing in her step, Rouge looked at him.

She was thinking about Kitty and Bobby who were getting closer with each day. About the girl she had hurt today. About the way everyone avoided her and how small and unwelcome that made her feel. Then she thought about all these missions that saved and helped so many people. How much she had learned during her stay here. And about Magneto’s strange visits and the game they had just played.

She smiled at Logan. “Not really. But I will be.”

Logan nodded slowly.

Rouge still did not know what to make of this school, but by now she was looking forward to find out how more crazy it could get here.

~~~~~

It was about three in the morning when Charles felt the last of his students fall into a deep, peaceful sleep and for once they were alone. Not that anyone would dare to disturb them here, in his private bedchambers. He was already in his bed, sitting up and leaning against some pillows Erik had put behind him.

Meanwhile, his old friend was sitting in an armchair he had moved next to the bed. He leafed through a novel Charles was planning to present in one of his upcoming lessons. His mind was quiet and all his attention was focused on the words he was reading.

Charles was content to simply enjoy his peaceful presence. He was thankful that Erik had stayed and began to hope that tonight would be one of the few occasions when he actually decided to sleep here.

“It seems as if Logan finally accepts you being here,” he remarked after a while, smiling as Erik looked up at him. The years had left their traces on his face but Charles still saw the beautiful, young man he had met so many years ago. Or maybe that was just him being romantic.

“I think he just gave up arguing with you,” Erik answered. “As someone accustomed to this hardship I can relate.”

“The who-is-more-stubborn-conversation again? I thought we already established who of us wins that prize.”

“You established it, old friend.” Erik’s amusement was like a glow warming him from the inside and making him grin alongside him. “I just decided to let you win the conversation for once.”

“I see. We are still the same arrogant fellow we’ve always been.”

“Well, of course. You would be disappointed otherwise and you know how much I hate to be the reason of your discomfort.”

Charles laughed. “Of course.”

He wanted to ask him how long he would stay, why he was here, why he always came back and why he always felt the need to leave in the end.

He wanted to know what Erik was planning, how he wanted to fight for them next time, and he wanted to argue with him all night until they found a solution that would both change the world and spare all the people Erik would be ready to sacrifice.

Most of all he wanted to feel like he did back when they were hunting Shaw together, and they both had believed that at least their friendship was meant to last.

In the end he said nothing merely watching Erik as he once again turned to the book. “As far as I can tell it seems well written. I’m sure your students will enjoy it.”

“Maybe I should let you teach them if you like it so much,” he joked knowing full well that this would never happen.

That’s why Erik actually surprised him when he nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe you should.”

Charles blinked. 

“Your literature classes always tend to turn into science lectures.” 

“Who told you that?!”

“I might have overheard some students talking during lunch break.”

Charles looked at him fondly. “You will always make fun of me, won’t you?”

“Until the day I die,” he answered softly and put the book away. “You should sleep, Charles. You have classes in the morning.”

“Will you be here?” he asked although he already knew the answer.

Erik sighed. “Probably not. But I will be back soon.”

“You are always welcome here,” he said and tried to catch Erik’s eyes who seemed suddenly eager to avoid him. “You know that, don’t you?”

Erik remained silent until he suddenly stood up and came over to him. Charles closed his eyes when he felt his hand on his shoulder. He knew what his friend really wanted to do but he just kissed his temple and said, “Of course I do.”

~~~~~

Erik was gone in the morning but that was alright, Charles figured as he was preparing his morning class. He would be back. He would always come back. And maybe next time he would not have to throw Logan all over the backyard for once.


End file.
